Mickey Rourke reveals ‘real reason’ he stopped paying rent before eviction notice
Mickey Rourke has broken his silence after being ordered to vacate his Los Angeles home over almost $60,000 in unpaid rent.
Mickey Rourke has claimed he stopped paying rent on his home due to "unacceptable" living conditions.
The Wrestler actor - who had withheld almost $60,000 in rent - was ordered to vacate the property in Los Angeles following a March 9 judgement in favour of landlord Eric Goldie, but he has insisted there were various issues with the home that never got fixed.
In a statement to E! News, he said: "The reason I stopped paying rent was because the living conditions in the house had become unacceptable. “For months there were serious problems that repeatedly went unaddressed despite my efforts to have them fixed.”
Rourke, 73, alleged there were "ongoing rodent issues" which were "never fully resolved", as well as problems with the bathroom and plumbing.
He alleged that "repeated requests for repairs" didn't help, while "basic maintenance was never properly handled".
He added: “Withholding rent was not a decision I made lightly.
"I simply could not continue paying for a house that was in such poor condition after so many attempts to have these issues corrected.”
In court documents obtained by E! News, the judgement has given Goldie "possession only" of the home, while the rental agreement is cancelled and the lease forfeited.
The judgement doesn't reference the rent Rourke still owed, or his allegations about the state of the property.
Late last year, it was reported Rourke had been given a three-day notice the week before Christmas to pay the overdue sum of $59,100 or be forced to vacate.
A crowdfunding page was set up in early January to raise money to cover his bills, but the Hollywood star slammed the campaign as "humiliating and embarrassing" as he urged fans not to donate.
However, it soon emerged the GoFundMe had actually been launched by his own team.
His longtime manager Kimberly Hines told Deadline: "We’re trying to do the best that we can. My assistant started it to help Mickey as a nice gesture because he was being forced out of his home.
"It was not done with any mal intent. The money has not gone anywhere. If Mickey decides he does not want it, the money will be returned to his fans."
The fundraiser was set up by Hines' personal assistant Liya-Joelle Jones, who wrote on the page: "This fundraiser is being created with Mickey’s full permission to help cover immediate housing-related expenses and prevent that from happening."
Rourke had been moved to a hotel, and the publication reports his management team and a producer pal have been footing the bill for his stay.
Hines added: "I would love nothing more than Mickey Rourke to go back to work and do what he does best."
Early in 2025, Rourke admitted his career is "in the toilet" after making some mistakes in the past, and he has struggled to book jobs because of his bad boy reputation.
He also confessed he signed up to appear in UK reality TV show Celebrity Big Brother because he can't face filming a "really bad independent movie".
Back in April, he told The Sun newspaper: "I’ve made mistakes, many. I have nobody to blame for my ship sinking except myself.
“My career is in the toilet and I’m not getting A-list movies. I’d like to be back where I can work on movies that have integrity.
"There’s directors I want to work with and have them not be afraid of me and trust me for who I am today, not for the reputation I have."
Rourke was ejected from the CBB house by producers following his "unacceptable behaviour".
JoJo Siwa had accused him of "homophobic" language after overhearing him say he would “vote the lesbian out real quick”.
Chris Hughes - who later started dating the former Dance Moms star after leaving the house - defended her, and Rourke was ejected after what was described as "threatening and aggressive” behaviour towards him.
